Weight Limit problem long

[Bill Glaze]

I started in r/c in 1954.  Started in competition in 1955.  Started with CG
Electronics 5 channel.  Went to Orbit 8 channel about 1956 in a Bonner Smog Hog.
Then to Fred Dunn's Astro Hog; it was the first really good flying low wing
airplane, due to the design and also to the fact that it was about then that Bob
Dunham obtained 8 channel reed banks.
Bare Orbit 8 cost $150; about a weeks wages, give or take.  Nothing but Tx and
Rec.; no wiring, no servos, no batteries, nothing else.
I was one of 2 people I know who were sponsored by Orbit, the other person being
Chuck Boyer.
This was before Kraft even came out to the Worst Coast by about (maybe) 8 years or
so.

Bill Glaze

John Gausby wrote:

> Bill......$150 for a top-of-the-line radio? That must have been prior to the
> 60's. I was talking about a 4-6 channel digital propo radio.
> ie.Kraft,Proline,EK Logitrol,Bonner,Orbit,F&M,Min-X etc. Even back in mid
> 60's.....a Space Control or Dee Bee Quaduplex (analog) was aprox. 300 to $400.
> They were mostly hand made......When did you start in competition??????
>
> On Mon, 11 Nov 2002 13:58:58 -0600 Bill Glaze <billglaze at triad.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > Cost? Interesting to contemplate.  When I
> > started in competition, (not called
> > pattern at that time) the best radio you could
> > buy was $150, the materials to
> > build a competitive airplane were $15 or less,
> > servos were ~ $15 each, (4 req.)
> > and the engine that everyone used was $14.95
> > NIB from your friendly dealer.
> > However, I was making less than $10,000 per
> > year.  (and living very well,
> > thanks.)
> > It's my belief that folks are either interested
> > in competing in a hobby activity,
> > or they aren't interested.  Many feel that
> > their work is competitive enough to
> > match their overall lifestyle; they feel they
> > don't need it in their hobby.  I
> > also feel that you need to know someone as more
> > than just a casual acquaintance
> > before you find out the real reason they aren't
> > competing.  If you can get past
> > their own personal fence, then maybe--just
> > maybe--you can get them interested.
> > And then again, maybe not.
> > After all, it's a huge hobby.
> >
> > Bill Glaze
> >
> > John Gausby wrote:
> >
> > > I have to agree with Anthony on this one. I
> > don't think cost is the major
> > > stopping point for the newcomer.
> > >
> > > >From what i see...It's the fear of
> > competition thing. The fear of experts
> > > judging your flying. That FIRST contest often
> > softens that fear , but getting
> > > a newbie to try that first contest is a big
> > hurdle.
> > >
> > > I don't ever remember pattern being
> > inexpensive. Even back in the 60's and
> > > 70's a new radio was 300 to 500 bucks. A good
> > .60 was 100 to 200. Rhom
> > > retracts were $125.....It was not uncommon to
> > have a $1000 or more tied up in
> > > one plane.....JG
> > >
> > > On Mon, 11 Nov 2002 10:17:35 -0500 Anthony
> > Romano
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi Buddy,
> > > > Here is my view. Just finished a new plane
> > > > around $2000. Now, being a
> > > > competitor, I build a new more complicated,
> > > > larger, more expensive plane to
> > > > take advantage of the rule change and
> > replace
> > > > my now obsolete plane.
> > > > Ignoring issue of gas such as smell, which
> > now
> > > > means I can't store planes in
> > > > the house and the wife won't come to the
> > field,
> > > > struggle with the sound
> > > > rule, can't fly at local field, etc.
> > > > Now I am just a mediocre competitor and if
> > I
> > > > get a lot of time I fly my
> > > > pattern plane 200 times a year. Using your
> > > > figures, maybe luck but I never
> > > > pay that much for fuel, I save $350
> > dollars. My
> > > > new plane will be paid for
> > > > in around FIVE years on the savings. Add in
> > the
> > > > cost of new field supplies,
> > > > fire extinguisher, radio upgrade to run two
> > > > elevator servos, farther drive
> > > > to field without noise limit, etc. Where is
> > the
> > > > savings?
> > > > If this is the direction of pattern I am
> > not
> > > > interested and don't see how
> > > > bigger more expensive planes will help
> > > > anything. You guys are all killing me
> > > > with the cost issue. The average guy at my
> > > > local club has three or four 1.20
> > > > size arfs with $1000 to $1200 dollars in
> > each
> > > > one. Look around on some of
> > > > the message boards and see the number of
> > people
> > > > that are flying and entering
> > > > giant scale. The number of people looking
> > to
> > > > spend $3000 and up on a bigger
> > > > planes is astounding.
> > > >
> > > > Anthony
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >From: "Buddy Brammer"
> > > > >Reply-To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > > >To: discussion at nsrca.org
> > > > >Subject: Re: Weight Limit
> > > > >Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2002 10:53:03 -0600
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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